The standard procedure for defining the anatomic extent and severity of coronary artery disease is catheter-based selective coronary angiography. While there are advantages to coronary angiography, it is invasive with some risk of complications and requires a brief period of hospitalization, making it relatively expensive. Cardiac CT, PET and MR is a complete technique-oriented reference, offering real alternatives to the “standard procedure”.

Non-invasive techniques of coronary artery lumen imaging, such as multislice computed tomography (MSCT) and magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) as well as complementary and at times more useful physiologic and/or metabolic imaging techniques provided by positron emission tomography (PET) are clearly detailed throughout this book. Cardiac CT, PET and MR therefore provides an excellent reference for all cardiologists, radiologists, and nuclear medicine physicians involved in the diagnosis and risk assessment of patients with known or suspected coronary artery disease.

With the advent of these non-invasive techniques, the future of invasive coronary angiography will be reserved primarily for therapeutic rather than diagnostic purposes. Accordingly, this book provides a unique and essential contribution to the developing field for both physicians and students.